Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-26
ImDrovinp Worn-Out Lands.


The reports from the consuls OF the
United states, published in pamphlet form
eyery month by the Department OF State,
Washington, contain a great deal OF in
teresnug matter. The No. for March,
1887. contains an article on "Basic Sag as
= Manure" transmitted by Consul JAS
PER Smith, OF Newcastle-on-Tyne," which,
il true, shows, as a correspondent IN Nor
folk writes us, that cur iron furnaces may
be "quiIe as valuable as South Carolina
phosphste.rock bed"
The March No. also contains a report
from Consul j. S. POTTER, Creield, who
wrote in reply to the following from Vr-
ginian:
"I am anxious OF knowing the method
by which land that has been worked for
ages is made more productive than when
first il came from the hand OF nature. Our
land in Virginia, though not worked three
centuries, is worn out" and eight BUSH
els OF wheat per acre Is good yield. Will
YOU be kind enough to give detailed &C.
count OF the manner 10 which Prussian
farmers prepare such ground with view
of obtaining good cropsf In Tldewater
Virginia we have every advantage OF cli-
mate and location. With the same know.
ledge OF farming as Is shown from your re.
port TO be possessed In Prussia, IL would be
a country OF great wealth instead OF poY-
erty."
Consul Potter writes long and in
ieresting letter. lie says that bow to re-
store exhausted SOL to its primitive fruit
fulness is WITH the Germans no longer an
experiment. He also says:
.sWbpt The so.calied WORKOUT land OF
Virgins and elSeN here needs Is, Therefore,
nitrogen, pbosphoric acid. and potash. IL
is sJsre circumstance 10 flnd land thai con-
tains these substances IN "a 'ntities aud
distributed In such proper proportions as
will nouTish crops for long series OF
years"
s.1'he substances, therefore, which the
Virginia farmer needs TO make hls Eek
hausttd soil more productive than when 1t
csme from the hand Of nature may be seen
rear the great iron and steel.mlnuiactorie
In Peunsyl vauia and Virginia In the form
OF mountains OF Stag and other debris
Which has been carted away after the metal
has been separated from the ores. IL these
huge piles OF waste" were properly
manipulated and the product used by the
discouraged owner OF WORKOUT land his
baIrrn fields could be made TO blossom
ike the rose ana yield him In fruit boun-
tiiut t.ward for his toll. He would also
lex,u that in producing twenty-five bushels
OF good wheat per acre the investment 10
labor aud cost would be no greater than
that bestowed on an 'eight-busheIper-
acre crop OF poor wheat"
Stag il, therefore, the one thing that old
Virginia needs. Its composition Is a, fol-
lows;
"sThomos's' fertilizer (schlacke or slag),
containing iron 22 to "a per cent. OF phos-
phoIic acid. can be purchased In Unlimited
quspii,ifs for e8 per gross ton. II 8
pounds OF ssitpetre are added TO every 100
pounds OF ThoiDas's fertilizer II Will be
fully equal 10 the best bone manure, aud
can be purchased at s1i.30 per gross ton.
The application OF $50 pounds OF Thorn ass
fertilizer, In combination with nitrogen IN
the proportion named, 10 ] acre OF
sworn.out land will insure q bountiful
crop. The cost In Prussia would be about
e225 per acre for this kind OF manure. A
less quantity would answer after the soil
bad been once restored to produetiveness.
For summer crops this fertilizer must be
applied In the winter season-FebruaFy and
March being the most favorable months.
For wipter wheat, or for crops, the seed OF
which Is put into the soil late IN the fall.
the Thomas fertilizer should be applied
in August.
SAN idea Of the extent OF the demand
in this part Of Prussia for the 'Thomas
fertilizer may be obtaiped from the fact
that one firm In 0berhausen manufactures
yearly a3,000,000 pounds. Another es-
tablisbmeut near Aix.la-c bspelle produces
yearly about 110.000.000 pounds, asd ex-
teDsiye works In Neunkirchen manufac.
ture this 1ew fertilizer In still greater
quantities, and II Is stated that The sources
of supply sre substantially inexbaustlble
and equal 10 any demand that Il likely to
exist.
SO the reader win see that though the
Germans call 1t the "Thomas FERTILIZER" 1t